New Ofcom rules further protect broadband buyers

Broadband shoppers must receive better information about speeds, before they commit to a contract, under new protections announced by UK media regulator Ofcom.

In future, providers will always have to give a minimum guaranteed speed to a potential customer at the point of sale. If that customer’s speed then drops below the promised level, broadband firms will have one month to improve performance, before they must let customers walk away penalty-free.

This right to exit a contract will also apply, for the first time, to landline and TV packages bought together with broadband. So, customers won’t be tied to a TV contract bought at the same time as their broadband, if speeds fall short of what was promised, and they decide to leave.

As an extra protection, internet providers must in future provide more realistic peak-time speed information upfront, which reflects the fact that broadband is typically not as fast when more people are online, during the busy periods of 8-10pm, or 12-2pm for businesses.

Implementing these reforms will require providers to make major changes to their systems, develop new speed testing methods, and train staff. Providers have a maximum of 12 months to make these changes before the new requirements come into force for services purchased from March 1st 2019.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Consumer Group Director, said: “Broadband customers must know what they’re signing up to. These protections will close the gap between the broadband speeds people are sold, and what they actually receive. And to give people extra confidence, we are making it easier to walk away – without penalty – if companies fail to deliver.”

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: “Consumers have told us that they feel confused about the broadband speeds they are likely to get and the service they pay for, so further steps to help inform customers and empower them to walk away without facing a penalty are welcome. Providers signed up to the code need to move quickly to implement these changes, so that broadband customers are given a realistic expectation of the speed they should experience before they commit to a contract.”

At the moment, broadband customers can exit their contract if speeds fall below a minimum guaranteed level, and their provider is unable fix them. But providers currently have an unlimited amount of time to resolve the problem before letting you leave.

Under the new requirements, providers will have 30 calendar days to improve speeds before they must let you walk away without penalty, and this protection will now also apply to cable broadband customers, who can experience particularly wide variations in speeds during peak times.